


Stars for a Miracle

by fireflyangelxx



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-21 01:58:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13730694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fireflyangelxx/pseuds/fireflyangelxx
Summary: Nessian high school prom AU where Cassian asks Nesta several times to be his date to prom but she tells him it will take a miracle for him to get her to go with him.





	Stars for a Miracle

“Just this one time?”

“Prom only happens once,” Nesta rolled her eyes. “We’re seniors, Cassian.”

“It’s one day,” Cassian pleaded, “come on, you didn’t mind going with me for homecoming; why should prom be any different?” He was sitting next to her in history, grinning like a fiend, his shirt unbuttoned at the top so she could see his tattoos peeking out from beneath his collar. She looked away quickly before he could notice.

“Homecoming was...just a dance,” Nesta struggled to explain. “Prom is a huge commitment. _Everyone_ is going to prom and they’ll be watching who goes with who. Plus, I shouldn’t have said yes for homecoming. I told you that day there wasn’t anything going on between us.”

“We can go as friends.” Cassian prompted.

“No.”

Cassian slid farther forward in his seat. “We can double date with Feyre and Rhys!”

“How is that better than going as friends?” Nesta inquired, her voice sharpening with annoyance. “I don’t want to be your date, Cassian, not for some stupid dance party. It’s like--” She groaned loudly, “Do stop asking.”

She met his gaze and found herself unable to look away. His piercing hazel eyes had always drawn her in, and she quickly glanced down so she wouldn’t stare for too long. _No_ , she told herself sternly, _I am not going to prom._

In all honesty, Nesta did like the idea of showing up on the arm of Cassian, who had been a constant friend throughout senior year and attractive enough that Nesta would have considered dating him. But she was still trying to get past her old relationship with Tomas Mandray, who she had dated from freshman year to the middle of junior year. Nesta hadn’t really let herself get involved with her sister’s friends until this year, since her sister was a sophomore now and was smitten with Rhysand.

“Rhys invited Feyre to prom?” Nesta couldn’t stop herself from asking. She supposed she should have already known this, but with Rhys as a senior and Feyre as a sophomore, Nesta wasn’t too sure if they would be going.

“Yeah, he asked her this morning. You missed the fun.”

“I had a project to finish up.”

Cassian nodded along through the corner of her vision. His mess of curls made her catch her breath slightly and she forced herself to breathe normally again. _Don’t think about running your hands through his hair. Don’t think about him._

Of course, it was very hard for Nesta to ignore the boy when he was sitting right next to her, talking to her as if the class was not about to start in five minutes. “You haven’t answered me yet. Do you want to go to prom with me as a date then?”

“I said no plenty of times,” Nesta frowned at him.

“No to going as friends. No to going as a double date with Feyre and Rhys.” Cassian counted them down on his fingers. “No answer to going as dates.” Nesta squinted at him, unable to fathom why she had to answer this question separately. If she hadn’t wanted to double date, why would she want to go as his date anyway?

“No.” Nesta repeated, emphasizing the word by dragging it out slightly longer than she should have.

Cassian just grinned. “Are you sure? You seemed pretty happy at homecoming.”

“That was half a year ago before I found out you were annoying and a pain to be around,” Nesta swiftly turned away and rummaged through her bag, determined to get him to stop asking. “It would take a miracle for me to go out with you again.”

It was a mistake to say those words. Cassian perked up, and Nesta glanced up. His eyes sparkled mischievously and Nesta immediately wished she could swallow back her words. “Is that a challenge, Nesta?” Cassian leaned forward again.

“No,” Nesta said, but he just smiled again and turned around to face forward, just as the bell for history class rang.

\---

Feyre and Elain were both talking about prom when Nesta got to lunch. She sat down with a groan when she heard Feyre exclaim. “Rhys asked me today! I got to school this morning and there was everyone just holding the posters and of course I said yes!” She was waving her hands in the air, obviously ecstatic. 

Her youngest sister turned and saw Nesta. “Nesta! Did you hear?”

“Cassian told me in history class,” Nesta admitted as she slung off her bag. “I’m sorry I missed it; I had a project.”

“It’s fine,” Feyre waved her off, “Did Cassian ask you?”

Nesta shot her sister a sharp look. “Ask me what?” She knew she sounded a bit too defensive but she wanted to avoid the subject. In fact she never should have brought up Cassian at all.

“To prom, silly,” Feyre giggled. “He was talking about it this morning with Rhys and Azriel.”

Nesta resisted the urge to bury her face in her hands and die of embarrassment. “You have to be kidding. Cassian? Ask me to prom?” Nesta forced a sharp laugh of incredulous disbelief. “As if that would ever happen. I would never say yes.”

“So he asked, didn’t he?” Elain smiled in her soft way.

“What makes you say that?” Nesta’s voice rose slightly and she struggled to keep her voice in control.

Elain was grinning now. “You’re being too defensive. He asked you in history but you said no.” She guessed. When Nesta sighed sharply through her nose and nodded in confirmation, Elain continued. “But what I don’t get is why you won’t go with him. I mean, you’ve gone with him on dates. Remember, homecoming?”

 _How could I, with everyone reminding me?_ Nesta rolled her eyes.

“Homecoming was a one-time thing. I shouldn’t have said yes.”

“You _wanted_ to go with him,” Feyre countered, “I remember you talking to us about it for days. ‘Cassian asked me to homecoming!’ ‘Oh my gosh, what dress should I wear? Do you think he’ll like this dress?’”

Nesta scowled. “I never showed any excitement to go with him. I went because it was senior year and he was in desperate need of a date and didn’t want to go alone when Rhys went with you, Feyre, and Azriel went with Elain.”

“Well then in that case you _need_ to say yes,” Feyre beamed. “Cassian’s the only one without a date again.”

“Actually,” Elain ventured, “Azriel and I are going to dinner. We’re not going to prom because he didn’t want to go.”

“Didn’t Vanserra want to go with you?” Nesta addressed her middle sister in confusion. She knew that Elain had gone on dates with Azriel before, since they _had_ gone to homecoming together, but Elain had been seeing Lucien recently.

“I don’t know,” Elain shrugged. “He hasn’t asked yet but maybe it’s because Azriel asked me first? We’ll see; I don’t want to go to prom regardless. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t, Nesta. It’s senior year for you.”

Nesta didn’t really enjoy her sisters tag teaming on her. “I don’t want to go to prom and that’s final. Especially not with Cassian.” She added, when Feyre arched an eyebrow at her. “I need to go.”

She grabbed her things and quickly left, though she had no idea where she was headed. Lunch was far from over, and Nesta didn’t have anyone else to sit with besides her sisters.

“Nesta!” She froze when a familiar voice called her name. “You look like you need someone to sit with for lunch.”

“Go to hell, Cassian,” she kept walking. “I’m not interested.”

“Aw, come on! It’s just lunch,” Cassian caught up to her and kept up, his long legs eating up the distance. He grinned at her though she refused to acknowledge him. “I promise I won’t ask you to prom again.”

“Ever?” Nesta squinted at him.

“For now,” he amended. “I’ll probably ask again tomorrow.”

“You’re insufferable,” Nesta told him.

“That I am,” Cassian winked at her. 

Nesta couldn’t help the groan that escaped her lips. “If I said please, would you leave me alone? Forever?” She added, when Cassian’s lips quirked up again. She gave him a hard, flat stare, trying to channel all her annoyance that she didn’t really feel. To be honest, she wanted nothing more than to accept his offer and squeal with her sisters over Cassian wanting to go with _her_ of all people to prom. But Nesta wasn’t sure if she was willing to put all her trust in one boy.

Cassian smirked. “I can think of ways to make you say please and you wouldn’t want me to leave you alone. Forever.”

Nesta scowled, rather furious that her cheeks flared red at the meaning of his words. She turned away and started walking again, though she had no idea where she was going to go.

“Wait!” Cassian grabbed her hand and whirled her back around. “It’s just lunch.” He repeats. “Please.”

His voice softened at that last word and Nesta hesitated. His hazel eyes were shining with hope and longing and Nesta found herself gripping his hand back, even though she had never left him touch her like this before. “It’s just lunch.” Cassian said a third time.

“Why aren’t you sitting with your friends?” Nesta tried to ask instead of relenting.

“Rhys is talking to his teacher about his project and Azriel is...I don’t know.” Cassian admitted. “I was left to wander alone.” He pretends to pout. “Come on, Nesta, I don’t have anywhere to go either.”

“I do.” Nesta couldn’t help but let the words slip out of her mouth even though she wished she had agreed to sit with him. “I have to go.”

She yanked her hand out of his grip even though she loved the feeling of his hand pressed against hers and walked away, determined not to turn back around. She had Cassian for one night and that night had been extraordinary. But she didn’t want to risk giving away her heart a second time, in fear of losing it forever.

~

When Nesta got home, she knew immediately something was wrong.

Considering there was a huge piece of paper plastered over her front door that read: “GO TO YOUR ROOM IMMEDIATELY,” it was hard for Nesta not to think that something was amiss. Nesta had to run a few errands when school got out and she was lugging a bag of grocery along with all her school supplies. Feyre and Elain started giggling behind her. Nesta cast them a glare before unlocking the door to find a giant red arrow taped to the floor that led to the stairs.

Their father was nowhere to be seen, so Nesta gave the grocery bag to Feyre and the car keys to Elain. She ripped down the paper on the door and stuffed it into the trash, trying to ignore the tug in her mind that said that she knew the handwriting.

“Where are you going, Nesta?” Feyre asked slyly, her mouth spread into a grin. “Up to your bedroom?”

“I’m going to go do homework.” Nesta replied shortly. “This has nothing to do with the sign on the door.”

As she passed by the arrow, she pointed at the ground. “Elain, clean all this up please. If there are more...signs in the house, please pick them up.”

She didn’t wait to see if her middle sister obeyed her orders. She climbed the stars and opened her door, dumping her bag next to her desk and froze. Everything still looked the same, except there were paper stars taped everywhere. Nearly a hundred littered the walls and some were scattered on her bed, her floor, her desk. Nothing had been overlooked.

Slowly, Nesta closed the door to find more stars there. None were on the window, though Nesta supposed it was because she could see her bedroom window from the outside. As she peered at the star closest to her, Nesta knew exactly who had placed all these stars here.

Each star contained a message only for Nesta.

_You are a star, shining the brightest when you are alone._

_Every time I look at you, I find that I cannot breathe. Every thought I have when I am awake is of you. Every dream I have when I am asleep is of you._

_I always thought I would have to give my heart away to a girl I like, but I have found out this year that hearts are stolen too._

_I think you are beautiful, Nesta._

_Homecoming was the happiest day of my life. My only dream is to be able to ask you to prom._

_You are the brightest star in my life._

_There is no words to describe how you make me feel._

_When you laugh, I wish I can keep a bit of it to listen to over and over when I’m alone._

_I fell in love with you the way you fall asleep: slowly and then all at once._

It went on and on. By the time Nesta had finished reading all of them and had gathered them up in one pile, she was crying. She had never seen more beautiful words in her life and each had been carefully scrawled on the paper stars with a messy handwriting that was no doubt Cassian’s. She clutched the paper stars to her chest and closed her eyes, berating herself for being stupid and not admitting that perhaps she had fallen for Cassian as much as he had fallen for her.

But Nesta had been too proud.

Nesta reread the stars again. And again. And again. She read them until the sun went down before she finally pulled out her books and began her homework. And when she finally went to sleep, Nesta dreamed of a boy with brown curls that reached his shoulders, with hazel eyes that she lost herself in, and with a heart that beat the same song as hers.

~

The next day Cassian was waiting for her outside of her house, leaning against his silver Toyota. He was utterly silent as she paused at her doorway, unable to fathom why he was there. Feyre and Elain were still sleeping and Nesta was going early because she had a test to make up. Her father would take her sisters to school later.

But that didn’t explain why Cassian was at her house.

“Sorry about yesterday, breaking into your house and all. I mean...your father let me in and stuff but I guess it was a little rude invading your private space and all. I wanted it to be only for you though.” Cassian was rambling, his cheeks a bit red and Nesta knew it wasn’t from the cold.

“It was lovely.” Nesta informed him, taking a step out her door and closing it shut behind her. “Don’t apologize.”

Cassian jerked his head in a nervous nod. “Why are you at my house?” Nesta asked, taking another step.

“I didn’t want to be rejected at school,” Cassian admitted. “I mean I should be plenty used to it but every time you shoot me down I’m aware that everyone is watching us. It’s like they all know I have no chance with you and that I should be happy with my one chance at homecoming.”

Nesta felt her stomach lurch. She hadn’t meant to make Cassian feel like a joke to the other students. She liked him a lot, perhaps even loved him. She wanted to go to prom with him.

Her mouth opened and closed, but Nesta couldn’t find the right words. “Why are you here?” She asked again.

Cassian closed his eyes briefly, before opening them and pushing off his car. “I think I know why you always say no. I mean it’s totally possible that you really do think I’m stupid and annoying and that you really just never want to be my date anywhere ever again, but I think you say no because you don’t want to say yes in front of others. I remember how I asked you to homecoming: I bumped into you on the street one Saturday and just accidentally mentioned how much I wanted to go to homecoming with you.”

He was jumping around the topic. Nesta felt butterflies in her chest and suddenly she was in front of him. She tilted her head up to look at him, her eyes calm though she felt nothing but the need to touch him, to say _yes_.

“Ask me,” she whispered.

“Will you go to prom with me?”

Nesta took a deep breath, though she didn’t need any time to think about it. “Yes,” she breathed, “of course I will. I should have said yes the first time you asked. I will say yes every single time you ask because I always want to be the one you take. I want to be your date. I never want you to ask another girl.”

Cassian grinned and took her hand, pulling her against him. His lips were on hers and Nesta felt the world explode around her. There was nothing but Cassian’s lips moving against hers, his left hand braced on her hip, his right hand clutching her arm.

When he pulled away, Nesta was breathless and she didn’t quite know what to say. “I have to get to school.” Nesta managed to say.

“Let me take you.”


End file.
